The first to die at the end

Heyyy guys. So after rereading They Both Die At The End, I decided to read the second book: The First To Die At The End. This book was just as sad. If anything, it’s sadder because one lives and one dies. (Well, I guess it depends on if you think that’s sad or not? Some people might think that one person who’s alive could live for both people. But they would also have to deal with the pain of the other person being gone.)

In this prequel to the bestselling phenomenon “They Both Die at the End”, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls. #1 New York Times bestseller!

It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict when someone will die, or is it just an elaborate hoax?

Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die. He has a serious heart condition, and he signed up for Death-Cast so he could know what’s coming.

Valentino Prince is restarting his life in New York. He has a long and promising future ahead and he only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident.

Orion and Valentino cross paths in Times Square and immediately feel a deep connection. But when the first round of End Day calls goes out, their lives are changed forever—one of them receives a call, and the other doesn’t. Though neither boy is certain how the day will end, they know they want to spend it together…even if that means their goodbye will be heartbreaking.

Told with acclaimed author Adam Silvera’s signature bittersweet touch, this story celebrates the lasting impact that people have on each other and proves that life is always worth living to the fullest.

“The First To Die At The End”… more like the first to wreck my heart.

╰┈➤ ✧ First Impressions:
my first thoughts of this book, or should I say actions, were tears. this book made me cry, scream, and I was shocked. I know the title says what would happen, but I wanted it to magically change somehow still!

╰┈➤ ✧ Moments that broke me:
💔 when valentino said i love you to orion
💔 valentino and orion’s last moments together
💔 the ending
💔 when scarlett didn’t have any way to get to Valentino in time
💔 both their backstories

╰┈➤ ✧ Why it stays with you:
this book feels so real to me because of the pain, the fear, regret, and can we talk about silvera’s writing style? it was just so well written! it’s also very thought provoking.

╰┈➤ ✧ Favorite Quotes:
✏️ “You don’t get to choose when you die. You only get to choose how you live.”
✏️ “There are no perfect endings, only the ones you make for yourself.”
✏️ “Life doesn’t care how young you are. It forces you to grow up anyway.”
✏️ “I might not make it to the future, but I can live in the now.”
✏️ “Perspective is everything.”
✏️ “‘I want to make great memories. Something to look back on whenever existing seems hard.’”

╰┈➤ ✧ Characters:
❤️ Valentino: He’s just moved to New York to start fresh, to live a big, colorful life — the kind where he can finally be himself out loud.
He has dreams that sparkle like sequins: modeling, loving hard, living free.
But the day he’s ready to begin his forever… Death-Cast calls.
Valentino is the kind of person who’ll still hug you with his whole soul — even if he knows he won’t see tomorrow.
He makes you believe that one day can be enough, if it’s filled with meaning.
Also, his parents are so…ugh. so utterly EVIL. Why would they tell Valentino that he’s going to “burn in hell” just because he came out??? What kind of parents are they!? I’m pretty sure Parenting 101 is support your children no matter what? (unless they’re a serial killer or something. then don’t. No offense.) But he’s lucky he has his twin sister, Scarlett. Also the backstory to his name is so funny like 😭🤣 poor Valentino and his naming trauma.

❤️ Orion: He has a heart condition, which makes him feel like death is always nearby. But instead of hiding, he fills his days with love for stories, belief in fate, and hope for something magical.
He’s the kind of boy who wishes on stars even if they fall.
He wants to be remembered for more than being sick — he wants to be someone’s beginning, not their end.
He’s soft, sarcastic, and scared. But still brave enough to fall in love.
Also, his backstory is so sad. 9/11 (just the numbers themselves) are haunting to him. His parents died in 9/11 (the Twin Towers in NYC) and Valentino died at 9:11 pm.

╰┈➤ ✧ Final Thoughts:
THIS BOOK! this book made me cry and weep so hard for valentino and orion…. why did it have to end like that? But overall I would totally recommend it and I LOVED IT!! ❤️

╰┈➤ ✧ Now…onto the deep stuff:

The book shows us that even a single day can change everything.
That loving someone, even just for a moment, is never a waste.
And that sometimes…

You don’t need forever.
You just need enough. 💫

Valentino + Orion

They meet on the worst day — but make it the most beautiful one.
They laugh, cry, run through New York like kids chasing magic, and show each other how to really live.
Their love is like a shooting star: short, bright, unforgettable.
And even though Death-Cast says one of them will die…
They don’t let it kill the love they share.

The company Death-Cast forces people to confront their mortality in a way that most of us avoid, and that makes this question really:

Is knowing you’re going to die within 24 hours a gift or a curse?

It’s a curse because:

You carry the weight of fear all day. You can’t relax, you’re hyper-aware of everything, and every moment feels like a ticking clock. You could be scared of going outside, because “What if I die?”
It’s easy to spiral. People may spend the time grieving their own death before it even happens, full of dread, regret, or hopelessness.
You might make reckless decisions trying to live fast, check things off a bucket list, or say goodbye too dramatically. Some people will try to do everything they’ve ever wanted all at once. You want to go skydiving? Done. Cliff diving? done. Want to go do something super dangerous that could get you killed? Done.
You lose the illusion of time. Without the comfort of “someday,” dreams you had — love, success, fixing something — vanish overnight. People might want to fall in love, get married, have kids. But from that one phone call, all those dreams could go up in flames. You want to go to college? Oh well, too bad, maybe in the next life time.

But it’s a gift because:

You get to say goodbye. So many people die without closure — this gives you one last chance.
You live more boldly. Valentino and Orion wouldn’t have met without the call. Knowing time is short makes every moment matter.
You make peace. You get to forgive, be forgiven, or let go of old pain.
You take control of your last day. Even if you can’t change your fate, you can change your ending.